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Saturday, July 26, 2008

.......Duluth is the major port for the shipping of iron ore from the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. The iron is running out, and the business is somewhat historical now. This is one of the ore boats, the William Irwin, which has been retired into a floating museum......

.....She was built in 1938 in Michigan and retired in the late 70's as she was too small at around 700 feet. This is taken from the front of the back............

...........Originally a hand fired coal burner, she was converted to an automatic coal feeder, then later converted to burning oil. This view is of the front from the back..........

....this lovely tourist, having survived a boring lunch of Minnesota Mexican food, is basking in the sun on a hatch cover, used to cover the cargo hold below...............

......the engine room..........

The Irwin was the fleet flagship, named after the president of U. S.Steel. It had some guest quarters, where invited guests and VIPs could take a cruise of the Great Lakes. This was the guest dining room. The guests and the crew all had to smuggle their own spices into Duluth for which there is a stiff penalty if you are caught (it's called keel-hauling). Folklore has it that these ships were really a front for spice-smuggling, but I think that is bullshit. True Minnesotans wouldn't buy spices, anyway, as they are too dangerous......

...........these are the staterooms for the guests.........

......they even let Wendy steer (the ship has not moved an inch since 1978!).......

..........I forget what this is for..........

.....We both got a giggle out of this sign in the Captain's office. The camera failed to focus very well, but it is a recipe or directions for turning the ship around if someone falls overboard. It is calculated to bring the ship back to the correct spot to search for the careless sailor who fell...........

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